


Swimmy, Shackled, Sated and Shagged

by 51PegasiB



Series: Team Player Verse [5]
Category: Marvel, Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Comfort Food, Cunnilingus, Exhibitionism, F/F, F/M, Fellatio, Food Sex, Forced Orgasm, Hurt/Comfort, Lingerie, Multi, Nipple Play, Pool Sex, Restraints, Vibrators, Voyeurism, guy in lingerie, nipple suction
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-26
Updated: 2016-04-26
Packaged: 2018-06-04 18:06:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,148
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6668887
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/51PegasiB/pseuds/51PegasiB
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Darcy's dreams are having an impact on her ability to enjoy her days as a live-in sub, but not as much of an impact as keeping up with the emotional roller-coaster that is serving several very different people per day. Will she settle in? Or will this all turn out to be too much? And will she ever get a good night's sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Day 3: Wake up and Work Out

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to NienteZero for concrit and for being my backup ego.

She woke with a groan. Feeling stiff and groggy, she stretched.

"Gah. Sore," she muttered.

"There are several types of painkiller in the bathroom," said Jarvis.

"Thank you, Jay," she said. She rolled out of bed and padded in to take some aspirin then had a bagel and a cup of coffee.

She felt unsettled. She wrapped around a second cup of coffee and drank it slowly, waking up and trying to shake herself out of her mood. It fell away slowly and she felt more like her perky self on the way to see Maria.

As soon as she was in Maria's office, she whipped off the towel she'd been wearing and tossed it and the swimsuit she had been carrying onto a chair. She waited quietly while Maria finished a phone conversation.

"How are you?" Maria asked her, after hanging up the phone.

"Okay," said Darcy. "I woke up a little funky."

"Jarvis reported your sleep was fitful," said Maria. "Did you have a nightmare?"

"I honestly don't remember, Ma'am."

Maria did the usual bruise and body check. Then went over the day's schedule. Meet with Steve at the pool, training in the playroom, lunch with Clint, in the lab with Jane, then dinner in the penthouse.

Darcy shimmied into her swimsuit (a new one she'd gotten with Pepper - one of several, in fact) and hurried down to the pool.

Steve was there on the pool deck, silhouetted in the light streaming in from the floor-to-ceiling tinted windows that looked out over midtown. She strode towards him, arms crossed in front of herself. It was difficult not to feel self conscious around those abs.

He was in fitted knee-length swim shorts, like some Olympic swimmers wore. Darcy nearly had a heart attack.

"Damn," she said, quietly.

He looked up and smiled. "You okay?"

"Yes, Sir," she said. "I'm fine." She let her eyes slide slowly and obviously over his body. He actually blushed.

"Well, okay. Let's get started. You know how to swim, right?"

"Sure. I mean - I know the basics."

"Well, we'll do some stretches, then I'll have you hop in and show me what you've got," he said with a grin.

She demonstrated her crawl and backstroke and then made a half-hearted attempt at butterfly. He jumped in the water with her, at that point, and helped her correct her form.

"I didn't know they did all these strokes back in the day," she said.

He shrugged. "I don't know if they did. I've learned them since I woke up."

"Really?" She laid on her back and floated by him, squinting at his face so she could sort of see him even though her glasses were sitting next to her towel on the bench.

"Yep. I've tried about all the solo sports I can find," he said.

"Wow, sounds like effort," she said.

He chuckled. "Not to me. It's fun to try all the stuff I never got to do before. And now the physical stuff is so much easier for me." He shrugged. "I get to concentrate on getting sharper with strategy and precision."

She sighed.

"Enough chatter. Twenty laps. I'll swim them with you."

"You mean you'll swim them way faster," she muttered.

Darcy went ahead and swam the laps. Steve was waiting at one end of the Olympic-size pool when she finished. She clung onto the side, taking deep breaths.

Steve splashed over to her and clung to the wall next to her. "Okay?"

She nodded and leaned on him. He hesitated a moment and slid an arm around her. He started stroking her side. "Is this okay?"

"Of course. Whatever you want, Sir," she said. She took a breath and let herself float in the water next to him.

He inched the straps of her swimsuit off and then peeled the material off her body. She breathed and relaxed, letting him do it. Steve gathered her back into his arms and leaned against the corner of the pool. She wrapped her legs around him. He moaned and canted his hips into her.

"You're so pretty," he said.

She tried not to snort. Instead she clung to him and rubbed suggestively against his fancy swimsuit.

He leaned forward and kissed her lips, then kissed one breast and then the other. She moaned and pressed against him more firmly. He moaned again.

"You're making me wish we could get frisky right now."

"Why can't we?" she asked him. "It's what I'm here for."

"I don't have a rubber," He said.

"I'm sure we can fix that," she said.

"I don't really feel like moving," he said.

 

"Fine. I'll get one," she said. "Jarvis?"

"There is a supply in the locker room," the AI replied.

"Give me a boost?" she asked Steve. He put a hand on her ass and hefted her neatly over the edge of the pool, depositing her gently. She padded into the locker room, found the supply cabinet and grabbed a few condoms and brought them back. He had doffed his swim-trunks, which were dripping on the pool's deck. She tossed the condoms on top of them and jumped in. He had one open and was rolling it on before her head broke the surface. He crooked his finger at her and she swam back into his arms.

Darcy wrapped around him like an octopus. He reached down and stroked into her slit a few times before sliding into her. She made an undignified squeal of pleasure as he grabbed her hips and started to move.

He didn't hold back, but it felt like they were fucking in slow motion, the water softening the sharp movements of his muscles.

She hugged him and held on, giving him something to work against as he pumped into her.

It didn't take him long to come with a grunt. She felt him pulse deep inside her.

"Fuck, yes," he said, clinging her close with a grip on one hip that was almost painful.

He relaxed slowly and loosened his grip on her.

She snuggled against him, feeling very free and a little giddy, naked in the water in the circle of his absurdly be-muscled arms. He stroked her skin gently.

"Do I have to do more laps?" she asked, eventually.

He chuckled. "Maybe not today. Let's go hit the showers."

There was only the one locker room, but there were several separate well-appointed shower stalls. Steve pointed her at one and took another for himself. By the time she was out of the shower, he was rinsing both their swimsuits in one of the sinks, still bareassed. She snuck up behind him and slid her arms around him and peeked around his torso. He smiled at her and patted her hands and handed over her swimsuit.

"I'll show you your locker."

"I get a locker?" She asked.

"Sure."

She trailed him into the wider room, and sure enough, LEWIS was on a locker right next to HILL. She opened it up and hung her suit and towel in it.

There were some things on the shelf- hair brush and ponytail elastics and a microfiber cloth for her glasses. She availed herself of all three and then checked herself in the mirror. Her hair looked all right. The brushed grey metallic surface of her collar stood out against her skin. Steve came up behind her. Looking into her eyes in the mirror he brushed her hair aside and kissed her neck.

"Why..." he started, quietly, then shook his head and trailed off.

"No. Why what?"

"Why did you decide to do this?" he asked her.

She pivoted to look at him. "I was in love with the idea of it. It was exciting to think about."

"And now...is it...working out how you hoped?" he asked.

She closed her eyes a second and leaned into him. "It's...not exactly how I imagined, but it's good. It's really, really good. Excellent, even."

She felt him tip her chin up and the light press of his lips to hers before she opened her eyes again.

"I'm glad," he said. "Look, I'm...I'd like to book some one-on-one time with you, but I'm not sure I know what I'm doing."

"Well, do it. We'll figure that out," she said. "This was fun, wasn't it? I think there's only so wrong it could go."

He chuckled. "I'm not so sure about that."

"Well, you're safe with me. I will keep all your secrets," she said. "I pinky swear."

She held up her pinky till he locked his with it and smiled.

"All right, then," he grinned. "I'll book it."

He was getting dressed while she headed up to the playroom for training. The nudity thing was getting easier and less remarkable every time she did it.


	2. Day 3: Restraint

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's training session with Maria takes a turn for the intense.

When she got to the playroom and she presented herself with one foot up on the stool Maria came in and smacked her butt, then circled her with light touches and an almost cursory finger probe between Darcy's legs.

"Wet. Good," she said. "Is there anything you're concerned about at the moment?"

"Not really, Ma'am," she said.

"How are you feeling about the trial period so far?"

"It's good," she said, considering. "It's sort of more exhausting than I thought? Like, I am enjoying all the pieces, but all together they're a lot, you know?"

Maria nodded. "Are you hurting or sore anywhere, at the moment?"

Darcy shifted her shoulders and shook out her arms experimentally. "No, Ma'am."

"Good. You can put your leg down. Come over here and kneel on this platform." Maria helped her onto a platform with a flat edge and a sloping bit in the center that kind of looked like a wide dorsal fin. She placed Darcy so her back was against the slope, and her bent legs were open, her arms dangling down the flat sides of the slope and her hands were wrapped around her own ankles. The slope had enough of a convex curve that her head was tilted back some and her breasts were pushed up and out. Maria flipped up two protrusions out of the base of the platform and made sure Darcy's knees were on the outside of them, holding her legs wide open.

Maria brushed her hand down Darcy's front, then went to grab something from a nearby cupboard. She returned with some ropes and began looping them with expert facility around Darcy's body and the platform. When she was finished, they formed a web that prevented Darcy from moving much, but didn't cut off her circulation. Maria stepped out of her line of vision, and Darcy's eyes strained to follow her. She could hear the whoosh of fabric, and when she stepped back into sight, she was wearing nothing but a sunset-orange bustier and lacy panties in the same color.

Maria leaned over Darcy's restrained form and kissed her briefly on the mouth, then slid down to suck on one of Darcy's nipples, then the other. Her tongue danced over the sensitive skin. Darcy moaned softly. Maria pulled back and smiled at her. She shucked her panties and tossed them aside. Then she mounted the platform on one side, then swung a leg over Darcy's body. She grabbed a handful of Darcy's hair and tugged, eliciting a cry of pain from her.

"I'm going to stand here, and you're going to lick me exactly as I tell you till I tell you to. If you need a break, press your toes down. Jarvis will read the pressure and let me know. Try it now."

Darcy obediently pressed her toes into the platform and a chime sounded.

"Good," said Maria. "Are you ready to begin?"

"Yes, Ma'am." Darcy took a deep breath and closed her eyes as Maria stepped forward. The platform had her at just the right height for her moist slit to press lightly on Darcy's lips, without Darcy feeling smothered by it.

Maria calmly gave her directions that she tried to obey. "A little harder. Yes. Focus a little lower down. Good. Good."

Darcy kept moving her lips and her tongue, teasing and working Maria's moist and delicate skin. The slope on the platform supported her back and neck so all she had to concentrate on was servicing Maria.

She was circling Maria's clit with her tongue as quickly as she could manage over and over when the woman came, tensing her legs around Darcy's head and crying out. Darcy kept up the movement till Maria, shaking, stepped backwards. "Good. Good. Stay right there," she said.

Darcy snorted and went limp as if to emphasize her inability to move, bound as she was. "Yes, Ma'am."

Darcy closed her eyes again and tried to relax while Maria moved around the room. She tried not to be irritated by the fact that she couldn't wipe of her own face, which was still sticky.

She took deep breaths. She didn't open her eyes when Maria came close, again. She felt Maria's fingers probe between her legs and then lock something into place on the platform, settling the skin of Darcy’s pussy lips around it. A click and a buzz and suddenly, Darcy was squealing.

"Too much?" Maria asked.

"A little, Ma'am" Darcy gasped out.

"Too bad," said Maria.

Darcy let out a moan.

"You've got an hour and fifteen minutes left with me. You're going to spend the whole time right there."

Darcy let out a noise of protest. She squirmed, though whether to get away from the vibrator or grind against it, she couldn't tell, herself.

Maria did something else, something with Darcy's nipples that Darcy couldn't see, because her head was still secured onto the rise in the platform. She could look at the ceiling or keep her eyes closed. She opted for the second. The pressure on her nipples didn't let up, but this was a sensation that was different than the clamps Natasha had used the other day.

"Open your eyes, Darcy," Maria said, startling her. She was much closer than Darcy had realized. When she obeyed, Darcy saw an image of herself projected on the ceiling right above her. The perspective shifted from her torso, where her breasts were quaking, with little suction cups pulling on each nipple, and slid down her body. The view focused in on where the vibrator met her skin. A finger came into frame and pulled her even more open, exposing wet and glistening skin.

"You are so wet for this. That's good. You've been so wet for every way we've used you so far. I like that," said Maria.

A hand came into frame as Darcy watched and flicked one of the suction cups, then the skin of her breast.

The vibrator was still buzzing heavily against sensitive skin. An orgasm overtook her with a sudden wave of spasming force. She screamed.

Maria didn't turn it off or release her nipples. Apparently she was serious about leaving Darcy here for over an hour. Darcy tried to cant her hips forward to press more firmly into the vibrator, but she couldn't reach. The platform stopped her from getting away. She heard a chuckle.

"It's funny to see you squirm, Darcy. Believe me, I know how to tie a person up so they stay where I put them," said Maria.

Darcy let out a whining whimper. "Please, Ma'am."

"Please what?" she leaned up over Darcy and looked her in the eye, bringing the camera with her.

"Please. It's too much."

"Hmmm," said Maria, considering. "I doubt that very much. You haven't even screamed or cried yet. Let alone real begging. I expect to get all of that from you before your time with me is up."

"You want to know the best part?" she asked, stroking Darcy's hair.

Darcy stared at her, wide-eyed and couldn't respond coherently.

"The vibrator is still on low," she said.

Darcy let out a choked sound at that. Maria laughed and stepped out of sight again with the camera. Darcy watched the camera's feed on the ceiling, feeling electrified by Maria's occasional touches and tweaks and turned on, somehow, at the views of pieces of herself. Flushed and heaving breasts; one tortured nipple, Maria’s fingers playing with the suction cup that was distorting it; wetness seeping around the head of the vibrator; a thigh, straining against the ropes...

It felt like looking at porn, except those ropes were biting into her skin, the vibrator was pounding her clit, those distended nipples caught in the clear plastic were hers.

She came again, this time harder than the first time, jerking on the ropes and screeching through her teeth. Maria stroked her hair again for a moment, while she took a few deep breaths, then reached between Darcy's legs and flicked the vibrator to a higher setting.

Now she did take the suction cups off the nipples by pulling them off painfully one at a time. Maria splayed her legs over Darcy's thighs, sitting in her lap and leaning down, holding the camera out in selfie position as she teased Darcy's tortured nipples with her tongue. She licked and sucked and pulled off with a long, slow swipe of her tongue and smiled at the camera, giving it a wink.

Darcy was whimpering now. She couldn't stop. The vibrator was too much. It filled up her entire cerebral cortex with its heavy sensation. She could barely even pay attention to Maria's mouth, which was now sucking at her nipples with only brief pauses to switch from one to the other. She was building up in intensity, but it didn't match the jack-hammering wand.

It was when Maria brought teeth into play that Darcy screamed, coming for a third time. It had taken longer than the first two put together and felt about five times bigger. It left her shaking and babbling in it's wake.

"Please, please," she begged, feeling unsure of what she was asking for, but knowing she wouldn’t get it.

Maria giggled and bit into her left areola, pulling back, stretching her breast painfully and eliciting a scream from Darcy. "Ow! OW!" she cried. Tears leaked out the corners of her eyes.

Maria continued biting her, alternating sides. The stimulation was relentless. Darcy started to space out and feel floaty with the sensation overload. It was like her whole body had narrowed to two points - the painful pleasure of the vibrator and the pleasurable pain of Maria's teeth digging into her skin.

In this transcendent state of touch, she felt something coming over her like a huge tidal wave of liquid gold. She screamed and came and came and felt like the orgasm was being wrung out of her till she was left, thoroughly crumpled, in its wake. She didn't even know if she was breathing, but she assumed she was or Maria would probably be more upset. Instead Maria stood and turned off the vibrator, causing Darcy to almost sob with relief. Maria stroked her hair while slowly undoing the rope that held her in place with the other hand.

Darcy felt limp and spent and curled in on herself as soon as she had regained the range of motion to do so.

Maria sat down by her and petted her, gently. She murmured words into the air and running water could be heard in the adjoining bathroom.

"Jarvis is drawing you a bath," she said to Darcy. "You did very, very well."

Darcy just leaned into Maria and let herself be petted while she came back to herself slowly. She had her eyes closed and soaked up the gentle touches and the feel of Maria's solid muscle.


	3. Day 3: Respite

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy gets after-care in the wake of her intense session with Maria.

Maria kept holding her till the bath was ready, then guided her in, one arm around Darcy, still wearing only a bustier herself.

"Did I do okay?" she asked, as Maria handed her into the huge bath and she sank down, letting the hot water ease her muscles.

"You did very well," Maria reassured her. "Would you mind if I join you in the bath?"

Darcy smiled at her. "I'd like that."

Maria stripped out of her bustier and climbed in, settling in the hot water up to her shoulders with a contented sigh.

Darcy scooted over and tentatively leaned her head on Maria's shoulder. When Maria didn't object and put an arm around her, she slid both of hers around Maria.

They cuddled quietly in the bath for a while. Darcy felt warm inside and out. Maria eventually sighed and patted Darcy's hip. "Come on. You've got to get to your next assignment, and I have work to do. Wash up."

For her own part, Maria dunked herself under the water then stepped out of the tub to dry off. Darcy frowned and washed up, scrubbing her face and tenderly cleaning her breasts and between her legs, mindful of the lingering swollen sensitivity of her skin. She didn't like Maria's efficient mode much. The matter-of-factness made her wonder if Maria was as touched by any of this as she was, herself.

She sighed and pulled the stopper as she stood. Maria handed her a towel and she dried off. She tried to do it seductively, keeping her eye on Maria to see if she'd respond, but the other woman was just waiting, towel wrapped around her, looking distracted, as if mentally she was already on to the next thing.

"Ma'am? What am I putting on for lunch?"

"Mmm?" said Maria. "I'm not sure. Check your schedule."

Darcy went to the wall tablet and brought up the elaborate calendar Jarvis kept for her. "Huh. It says whatever I want," she said. "Do I have time to swing by my apartment, J?"

"If you are speedy, I believe you do," Jarvis replied.

"May I go, Ma'am?" she asked.

"Yes, Darcy, you can go. Good job," said Maria.

Darcy slunk out, feeling let down by the officious end to that intense experience. She tried to tell herself that it wasn't her fault: Maria had a lot to coordinate and keep track of. she didn't mean to make Darcy feel weird. And Maria had spent time petting her in the bath, so it wasn't like she hated Darcy. Or was disappointed.

Probably.

She scurried to her apartment and slung on an old t-shirt and yoga pants. They were worn and broken in, because they had belonged to her for years. She pulled her hair back in a messy bun and cleaned her glasses before running, barefoot, to Clint's apartment.

Clint opened the door before she'd finished knocking. "Hey, Darce, come on in."

She slid in and shuffled a second before lurching for him and wrapping her arms around his waist.

His arms encircled her, in turn. "Hey, cupcake. You okay?"

She shrugged.

He drew her closer and stroked her hair. "Would grilled cheese help?"

She laughed a little. "Sure. Sounds good."

He grinned and ushered her into the kitchen and she sat at the table while he started pulling out ingredients. "You want something to drink?

"Sure. What do you have?"

"Uh...." he looked disconcerted as though he hadn't expected her to ask. He poked his head back in the fridge, looking around and shifting things. "Coffee, gatorade, beer and...uh....water," he said.

"Do you have the toxic looking blue gatorade?"

"Nope. I have purple or red."

"Could I have red, please?" she asked.

He brought her a bottle. She sat and fiddled with the label as he melted butter in the frying pan.

The kitchen started filling with the delicious smell of frying and Darcy slowly untensed.

He eventually sat a plate of perfectly grilled sandwiches in the center of the table, the melting cheese curling out of he central cuts that he had made neatly from corner to corner on each sandwich.

He got a beer for himself and sat down opposite her. "Take one before they get cold," he nodded at the plate.

She did so, biting into it and closing her eyes. "Mmm. This is good."

"Little mustard on the bread with the cheese," he said. "Gives it a little something."

He didn't say much as they ate, keeping his attention on her in a low-key way that didn't feel like pressure for her to talk. The food filled her, making her feel a bit better. Maria may be giving her whiplash, but the rest of this was a good gig. And Maria wasn't all bad, Darcy just couldn't figure out how Maria really felt.

"You're thinking so loud, Xavier can probably hear you up in Westchester," he said.

She smiled at him, ruefully. "Sorry."

"There's nothing wrong with thinking, Sweetheart, but you look like you're gonna sprain something. You okay?"

She shrugged again. "There's just some stuff I can't figure out."

"Stuff or people?"

She took a deep breath. "Both, I guess?"

"If it's Tasha, don't worry. She likes you."

Darcy laughed. "Actually it isn't. She's good at direct."

Clint threw back his head and laughed loudly before he took a swig of his beer and snagged another sandwich. "That's a good one. I'm gonna tell her you said that."

"She is," Darcy insisted. "Anyway. It's not her. It's Hill....and Bruce, but at least I sort of know what his problem is."

"Hill has a problem with you?" Clint frowned. "She said so?"

Darcy frowned and shook her head. "Not in so many words, but she's acting kind of...I don't know. Hot and cold or something."

"Mmmm." He took another swig of beer and gazed at her. "Stick with her. She's all right. You'll see. I guarantee whatever is going on is a lot more about her than it is about you."

Darcy shot him half a smile. "You think?"

He nodded. He watched her eat the last half a sandwich. "Want to watch some TV or something?"

That surprised her. "Is that what you want?"

He shrugged. "Thought about some other stuff, but you seem a little rocky. We can just hang out."

"Are you sure?" she asked.

"Yeah. I'm not gonna enjoy doing stuff if you're all worried and whatever."

She relaxed. "Thank you," she said quietly.

He grinned at her and put the plate in the sink. They spent a while on the sofa watching reality TV he had on his DVR. It was pretty much perfect.

She leaned against him and he smiled and kissed her hair, wrapping a reassuring arm around her.

When their time was up, she gave him a big hug at the door. "Thank you. That was just what I needed," she said.

He grinned at her. "Way I figure it, that was the girlfriend experience."

She laughed.

He leaned in, going in for a kiss slowly enough that she could avoid it if she wanted. She met his lips with her own and hugged him again before scurrying for Jane's lab.


	4. Day 3: Repast

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's normal afternoon gives way to an evening of being wined, dined and sexed up in the penthouse of Stark Tower.

The afternoon was refreshingly and comfortingly normal - just like old times. They laughed and Darcy made sure Jane got some food into herself in between gesticulation and emphatic chalk-board equations. By the time Thor came to sweep her out for their date-night, Jane's hair was in disarray, but she seemed satisfied with the day's work and smiled brightly as Thor swept her up in his arms.

Darcy shrank into a corner, not feeling up to being noticed by Thor at the moment, but she need not have worried. Thor only had eyes for Jane, who gave a vague wave over his shoulder as he carried her off.

Darcy straightened some things up and flicked out the lights before heading back to her apartment.

She sat down and took a deep breath, letting it out over a count of six. "Hey, J. How much time do I have?"

"Just over an hour before you are to report to the penthouse suite," he said.

"Okay. Better show me what I'm wearing," she said, reaching for her tablet.

She took a quick freshen-up shower, then slid into the thigh-high stockings and garter belt her schedule prescribed. They were deep red with gold-tone hardware. She slipped on the matching bra and panties over the straps of the belt, then shimmied into the dress she was supposed to wear. It, too, was red - a deep, rich shade that was a near-perfect match for the nail polish she still had on from her welcome party a few days ago. the dress was fitted to the waist and then swept out around her thighs in a cloud of floaty fabric that swished pleasantly past her legs when she walked. She stuffed her feet into the ridiculous gold heels she was supposed to wear with it. They were less uncomfortable than she would've expected, but she still felt awkward teetering around on them. She looked at herself in the mirror. She did her eyes and lipstick then contemplated her reflection again.

"Should I do something with my hair?" she murmured, half to Jarvis, half to herself.

Jarvis had no definitive response to give her, so she left it down.

She carefully walked towards the elevator, feeling the extra extension of her legs and sway of the hips that the heels produced in her gait. A wolf whistle came from behind her and she turned with a smile.

Sam jogged up, grinning. "Damn." he said. "You look real nice."

She felt the blush rise in her. "Thanks," she said. "It's not really me."

"Well, it sure looks like you to me," he said. "Wish I was headed where you are."

"Formal dinner with Pepper and Tony?" she asked.

"Too rich for my blood," he responded. "I'm happier having take-out with the guys."

Darcy couldn't help but feel that she would be, too, as Sam left the elevator on the common floor, but she felt a flutter of excitement as the doors slid open on Tony & Pepper's foyer.

She stepped out tentatively, her heels clicking loudly on the tiles, echoing in the space.

She wasn't sure where to go, so stood, for a moment. She heard a quick, syncopated step through one of the archways. Soon after Tony sprang through it with a broad grin on his face. "Hey, Darcy, welcome." He was dressed in a sharp suit with a red shirt and gold tie. She wondered whether Pepper had dressed him, too. He put an arm on her waist and kissed her.

She smiled. "Thanks, Sir."

"Oh! You don't have to sir me." He loosened his tie and yanked his shirt collar down enough to expose a band of metal pressed against his throat. "I'm playing your side of the fence, tonight. We're brothers in arms! Pepper's rabble."

"It's a collar?" she said, reaching out to brush her finger against it, the blood red nail-polish standing out against the gold metal.

"Yep," he said. He did his shirt buttons up again and fixed his tie. "Just like yours except mine has more gold in the mix."

"Hence shiny," she said. "It suits you."

"Why, thank you." He held out his elbow and she took it.

He led her past the formal dining room and into a greenhouse-looking room full of plants, where there was some garden-style furniture laid out with what was obviously the good china. Pepper stood as they came in and embraced Darcy and kissed her sweetly on the lips.

"Welcome, kitten," she said.

Darcy smiled, "Thank you, Ma'am."

Tony was hovering eagerly.

"What do you want, Tony?"

"She got a kiss. I want one, too."

Pepper smiled an took him by the hand, reeling him in for a kiss. She clearly intended to make it a sweet one like the one she had given Darcy, but Tony surged against her, insistent, opening his mouth and taking it to a deep and dirty place. Pepper let it go on for a little, but then pulled back decisively. "Pushy," she said, warningly. "Tonight is for Darcy."

"Well, I can do that to her, if it pleases you, Mistress," said Tony with a leer in Darcy's direction.

"For now, help Darcy into her chair and then sit and be good for a bit."

Tony complied with alacrity and kept shooting Darcy gleefully conspiratorial looks over the centerpiece as Pepper took their plates and served them from the sideboard, then served herself. Tony didn't start eating till Pepper sat, and Darcy followed his lead.

Finally Pepper, placed her napkin in her lap with a dainty flourish and began eating. Tony and Darcy both followed suit.

"How was your day, Darcy?" Pepper asked.

"It was good," she said, most of her attention on taking small enough bites of food that getting any on her fantastic dress would not be an issue. "How about you, Ma'am?"

"All right," Pepper sighed. "Not as good as yesterday. My lunch date was not nearly as much fun," She gave Darcy a significant look and Darcy felt like she was blushing as red as her dress.

"Thank you, Ma'am," she said.

"Who all did you work with today?" Pepper asked her. Darcy responded with a brief recitation of the day's events.

Tony was eating with a good will, his eyes darting back and forth between Pepper and herself. Darcy thought it must be costing him something to keep quiet. His leg was bouncing under the table.

Pepper ignored his nervous energy and talked a bit about her own day and the problems she'd encountered at work before turning to him. "And what have you been working on, Tony?"

"Revolutionizing the world of nano-tech coding." he said.

"Oh, yes?" she asked.

"Yeah. I've invented a new kind of pavement that will keep itself level or gently sloped, as designated. It can self-repair cracks, organically raise itself when pushed up by roots, avoid puddles in the rain and even melt ice and snow off itself."

"Wow. Awesome!" said Darcy. When Tony was billionaire-playboy-media-personalitying it was easy to forget that he was actually as much of a genius as he thought he was.

"I know, right? The applications are legion. And I'm working on having the nanobots self-replicate so a city could build itself out of a tech seed."

Darcy's eyes went wide. "That's some serious science fiction shit," she said in awe.

"I know, right?" He shot her a self-satisfied grin.

"Is this new patent territory?" Pepper asked.

"Yep, but it's not quite there yet," said Tony.

"You'll let me know?"

"Of course, Honey," he said.

"Is it cost effective?" she asked.

He paused at that. "Well, not yet. Not for widespread applications."

"Is there a way for it to easily replace or repair existing sidewalks and roads?"

"Uh...no. I guess...Yeah. Still a ways to go." His grin turned rueful.

"It's still awesome," said Darcy, quietly.

Pepper smiled at her and Tony gave her a grin and a mock salute.

Darcy was just starting to relax as they slowly finished eating. She had drunk a glass or two of champagne at Pepper's insistence - just enough to feel warm and content. Tony made a small, throat-clearing kind of noise and Pepper smiled at him.

"Tony is impatient," she said to Darcy. "He wants to move this to the bedroom, but it's not quite time for that, yet."

Pepper caught Tony's eyes. "will you please go get Darcy's present?"

"I thought fancy dinner was my present, Ma’am," Darcy said, trying to look cute and innocent.

Pepper didn't look like she was buying it, but smiled indulgently all the same. "You knew it wasn’t. Fancy dinner is a treat for me."

"So I get a thing?" Darcy bounced a little. she had a feeling cute and immature worked on Pepper. why else would she and Tony have lasted so long?

"You get a thing. A couple of things, actually. pretty ones."

"Yay!" Darcy clapped. "I like getting spoiled."

"And I like spoiling, but you earned this one."

Tony was quickly back with a black box with a shiny red and gold ribbon and bow, like the one her new laptop and tablet had come in.

Darcy reached out for it, eagerly, really feeling almost girlish, but Pepper cleared her throat and made a gesture to Tony who promptly dropped to one knee beside Darcy's chair and held the box up to her.

"My mistress wishes you to have this as a token of her esteem and ownership," he said, formally, his face utterly serious.

"Wow," Darcy breathed. That was kind of hot. Jeeze, no wonder Pepper got off on the topping thing. She glanced at Pepper for permission, and, having received a nod, took the box and offered Tony a hand up, which he accepted, bouncing to his feet with his usual mocking grin back in place.

"Open it, kitten," said Pepper, her twinkling eyes sparing Darcy nothing as she watched her every move.

Darcy put the box on the table, pulled off the ribbon and lifted off the lid.

There was a second box inside, about the size of three hardback books stacked in a cube, made of many different colors of wood in an abstract mosaic. Darcy pulled it out and realized it had little doors and drawers.

"A jewelry box! it's beautiful! Thank you, Ma'am!" It really was a work of art. On the front, each panel that could be opened had an echo of the mosaic on top. As Darcy ran her fingers over it, it was totally smooth. No hint of the joins in the wood; no threat of a splinter.

"That's not all," said Pepper. "Open the drawers."

There were two more boxes that emerged as she did this, both wine colored.

"Larger one first," said Pepper.

Darcy cracked it open, and nestled in midnight blue velvet inside the box was a simple bracelet with broad links. It looked darker than silver, almost matching the gunmetal color of her collar. Pepper gestured and hooked it onto Darcy's wrist before letting her open the smaller box.

"Here. Two charms to start with," said Pepper. She hooked first one and then another onto the bracelet.

Darcy examined them. The first was inlaid with the Avengers' 'A' logo, picked out in some kind of red stone. The second was a red cat, sitting primly with staring eyes the same green as Pepper's own.

"Oh my god. They're beautiful," said Darcy. "Thank you so much, Ma'am."

"I'm glad you like it, kitten." said Pepper with a smile. "Time for dessert, my lovelies."

Pepper reached out for Darcy's hand and stood, taking Tony's too, as they rounded the table. She led them both to the bedroom.

The room was bathed in warm, low light and gentle shadows. There was a table top, lit from beneath holding a ton of ice, and bowls of whipped cream, berries and chocolate mousse and bottles of champagne.

The bed was laid out in sapphire blue sheets. There was a low table beside the bed arrayed with toys and straps and devices. And there was a wing-back chair at the foot of the bed, upholstered in emerald green, looking like a throne.

Pepper sat in the chair, regally. tony brought her a matching footstool and knelt to take off her high heels, kissing the tops of each of her feet as he revealed them.

Darcy stood awkwardly, clasping her hands together, uncertain what to do with herself. She ran her thumb over the bracelet, toying with the charms, nervously.

Pepper smiled at Tony and reached for him, drawing him into a kiss, then released him. "Go unwrap the kitten for me."

Tony grinned and came over to Darcy. He took her hand and led her to stand right in front of Pepper's chair. Darcy sighed and smiled, relaxing as Tony walked around her to undo the zipper and cooperating as he peeled her dress over her head.

"My, kitten. You look so pretty," said Pepper as Tony stroked his hands over Darcy's bra and traced the lines of her garter belt with his fingers. She could feel Tony's hot breath on the back of her neck and felt the gentle prickle of his goatee as he pushed her hair aside and brushed his lips against her skin.

"Thank you, Ma'am," she said. She felt like something between a toy and a work of art, between the way Pepper was gazing at her and the way Tony was touching her. Tony snuggled up against her back. She could feel the press of his erection against her lace panties.

She was breathing faster and closed her eyes and leaned into Tony's touches.

She felt him undo her bra and opened her eyes again as she let him slip it off. He slid down her body with hands braced against her, slipping her panties to her ankles as he went. She stepped out of them, neatly.

"No," said Pepper, when his hand went to one clip of her garter belt. "Leave the stockings on her."

Tony leaned backwards so he could gaze up at Pepper with a grin.

"Whatever my mistress wishes."

She smiled at him. "Strip down, yourself. Kitten, come here while he's getting ready." Pepper reached out and drew Darcy into her lap. Darcy leaned against her. Pepper stroked her hair and they watched Tony strip efficiently down to a garter belt similar to the one she herself was wearing.

Darcy wolf-whistled. Tony struck a pose. Pepper giggled at them and pushed Darcy up onto her feet. "Go on, kitten. Tony knows what kind of show I like."

Darcy stepped forward on her stocking feet. Tony stalked towards her with a predatory grin on his face and swept her into his arms, kissing her hungrily. She couldn't help but let out a moan as he pushed her backwards towards the bed and onto it. She fell onto it hard enough to bounce and giggled as she scooted backwards towards the head of the bed.

He grinned at her and stepped over to the ice table and gabbed two of the bowls and a spoon. Darcy raised an eyebrow at him as he brought them to the bed. "Stopping to eat?"

"Who's stopping?" he asked. He ran his tongue over his lips suggestively, stuck a finger in chocolate mousse. and licked it off with long, slow swipes of his tongue. Darcy watched, her pulse thundering. He took the spoon and drew a line of chocolate along her belly and licked it off in one long stroke.

A small noise of pleasure came from the direction of Pepper's chair. Darcy looked at her over Tony's head. She was slowly undoing the buttons down the front of her dress as she watched them. Her lips were wet and parted and her eyes wide.

As Tony pressed Darcy's legs further apart and spooned some of the cold, soft mousse between her nether lips, she moaned as she looked straight into Pepper's eyes. Pepper moaned in response and shucked the dress off.

Darcy finally closed her eyes when Tony's mouth met her pussy. He lapped at it hungrily as though he hadn't just eaten dinner. He licked carefully till his tongue met her skin, feeling hot after the cool dessert. She moaned as his mouth enveloped sensitive skin and he began to suck. His beard was prickly as he worked her clit with his tongue, but she couldn't bring herself to care. Her focal point was the soft, wet warm movement of his tongue and lips as he teased and stroked against her clit.

He climbed up her body and kissed her, their silk-enveloped legs rubbing together as she pressed hungrily against his hardness, now freed and seeping onto her thigh. She whimpered a little and pressed into it harder. Tony jerked back. "Hey! Weird angle. Hang on."

He shimmied his hips into a better position, one of his legs in between hers and his cock trapped between them on her hip. She slid her wet slit against his thigh, grinding into the skin between garter straps. He made a hungry noise and she smiled. It made her feel giddy to be able to turn him on so much.

"What are you grinning at, Bouncytits?" he asked her.

"Just like to know I'm doing my job pretty well, Iron Butt."

He snorted at her and reached for the mousse again, licking lines of it off her breasts, alternating sides.

"Do I get any of that?" she asked him.

He grinned, cocked an eyebrow and rolled onto his back, spreading his arms wide. "Be my guest," he said. She rolled to kneel on the bed and he handed her the bowl. She painted a stripe of mousse in the divot of muscular definition at the bottom of his abs and topped it with whipped cream. She ate it with delicate little laps of her tongue, twisting to avoid obstructing Pepper's view as she did it. Pepper was watching avidly when Darcy snuck a glance over at her.

She did the other half of Tony's V, carefully skirting his cock. He let out a curse when she brushed close without touching.

"Jesus christ. I could get off just from your hair touching me like that right now, I swear to god."

"Tony!" said Pepper sharply. "No woman enjoys ejaculate in her hair. Also, you aren't allowed to come yet."

Tony whimpered. "Jesus."

"In fact. Darcy, sit back for a moment, kitten."

Darcy pulled off of Tony's hip with a loud wet sound and sat back grinning. Pepper stood and picked something up off the table. She was in a slip of a white chemise and matching silky underpants and Tony watched her hair brush over the soft fabric with dark-eyed intensity. She turned back from the table with a leather strap. Tony groaned when he saw it and then again, a little pitifully when she fastened it around his cock and balls, snug to his skin. He made not even the slightest move to try to prevent her.

Pepper wrapped her slim fingers around his cock and stroked two times before leaning over him, grabbing his hair and holding his head still as she stared into his eyes. "There we go. You don't have permission to come before I'm done with you, tonight. Do you understand me, Tony?"

"Yes, mistress," he said - the words coming out as a single gasp.

"Good." She kissed him and he kissed her back hungrily, twining his fingers in her hair and cradling her head to draw it out.

Darcy sat quietly, watching them. It felt like a rare privilege to see them in a moment like this and to be a part of what was going on for them. It made her feel special. And really turned on.

Pepper turned to give her a kiss, next. "Okay, kitten, you can lick him like a popsicle now, if you want, but you have to back off as soon as I say."

"Thank you, Ma'am," she turned to Tony and tried to give him a predatory look. She took a giant spoonful of whipped cream and tried to add it artfully to the head of the cock. Most of it perched there but an uncooperative dollop immediately slipped down one side and she wrapped her mouth around it before the whole thing could melt.

Tony made a hoarse noise and started murmuring something to himself as he stared down at her with blown pupils. She sucked him hard and heavy, stroking her hands over his silk-encased legs before pulling off theatrically. He stopped murmuring, panting for breath, tensed for her to start again.

"What are you reciting?"

"Resistor capacity tables" he said.

"Is that like, your version of thinking about baseball?" She moved her hand to stroke his cock lazily, giving him enough pressure to stimulate but not to satisfy.

He was panting again, his eyes slipping closed. "Yeah, pretty much," he gasped out.

"Stop, kitten," said Pepper with soft authority.

She stood up, pulling off her chemise, and then wiggled out of her panties, tossing them aside. Darcy couldn't keep her eyes off Pepper's skin.

Pepper took the bowls away and put them back on the ice table.

"Tony, get up," she ordered. Tony obeyed, albeit a little stiffly. "I'm tired of watching," said Pepper. She took a pillow from the head of the bed and stuck it almost at the foot. "Kitten, come lay down here."

Darcy laid her head down on the pillow and sighed contentedly as Pepper smoothed her hair out of the way. Pepper climbed atop her, facing the head of the bed.

"Are you okay? Can you breathe? Are you comfortable enough?"

Darcy hummed in response. She reached out her tongue to brush against Pepper's skin, warm and smooth and wet. Pepper sighed and spread her legs farther. Darcy's head was tipped back at the edge of the bed. Pepper settled into position. "Tony..." she said, a little breathlessly. Tony stepped into Darcy's field of vision. He'd gotten rid of his garter belt and stockings, wearing nothing but the cock ring and a grin. He kissed his fingertips and then placed them on her temple, transferring the gesture, then he ran a hand over Pepper's ass and stepped in close.

All Darcy could see was a slice of bedroom floor between Tony's legs. She closed her eyes and probed with her tongue to reach Pepper's clit as Tony slid neatly into Pepper. She worked at it, trying to ignore the brush of Tony's balls on her face and concentrating on the noises that Pepper was making.

Darcy felt the other woman's hot breath against her own thigh. She undulated her tongue for all she was worth, letting the force of Tony's thrusts drive her mouth against Pepper's clit over and over, interspersing the focused sucking she was starting to learn Pepper liked. She brought her hands up underneath Pepper's body to stroke her breasts, as well, and Pepper let out a moan of approval. "Good kitten," Darcy dimly heard her say.

Darcy's world was all warmth and closeness and sound. She felt strangely safe under the small pile of sweating bodies.

Pepper's noises were getting more shrill and her muscles were tensing. Suddenly, with a cry, she let go and started to quiver. Darcy didn't stop tonguing her wet skin till she heard the command. "Stop," she said. "Whew."

Pepper crawled out from between them and laid down on the bed. "Oh, that was wonderful, my lovelies. Would you two like to come, now?"

Darcy who only felt half recovered from her session with Maria earlier in the day, shrugged with a smile. Tony looked almost pained. "Please, mistress. Yes. Sweet jesus."

"Darcy? Would you like to finish him off for me?" Pepper asked.

"Yes, Ma'am," she said.

Pepper reached to the bed side table and tossed The lube. "Fuck her breasts," she said. "Kitten, press them together for him."

Darcy did as she was told, letting Tony spread lube between her breasts and then holding them tight together with both hands as he slid his cock in between them.

"Sweet Jesus," Tony muttered again. He was taking short, jerky thrusts, leaning over the bed, his fist planted by Darcy's hip as he moved. He was grunting with the effort before long. "May I, Mistress?" he asked

"You may. I want to see it," said Pepper.

That and two more quick hard strokes were all it took for Tony to spurt all over Darcy's belly. He groaned and rolled to one side, letting himself flop on the bed and looking pleadingly at Pepper. She reached out and undid the strap around his genitalia, at which he let out a relieved groan. Pepper smiled and kissed him and whispered something in his ear. Whatever it was made him smile and kiss her skin, gently.

Pepper flipped around to check on Darcy.

"Feeling all right?" she asked, trailing fingers lazily through the semen on Darcy's stomach.

"Yes, Ma'am." She replied. In truth, her jaw and tongue felt a little strange, but nothing she couldn't handle.

"Rest for a bit. I'm going to clean you up." Pepper gave her a hug and a kiss and got up. She was soon back with a warm, damp towel which she rubbed Darcy down with before retreating again to give Tony the same treatment.

Pepper got up again, and trailed into the bathroom, whereupon Tony gave Darcy a gentle kick. "Hey. Come up here, cupcake."

Darcy rolled around so her head was near Tony's shoulder. He slid his arm around her, so she tentatively rested hers across his belly.

"You are super cute, you know," Tony said.

"Nah," said Darcy.

"Are too. Adorable, even. You should be a cartoon and a breakfast cereal."

Darcy laughed. "Well, that's the weirdest compliment I've ever gotten."

Tony chuckled. "Well, what the fuck are you gonna do, kid? I talk how I talk."

"No sweat, boss. I like it."

He hugged her a little closer at that. They were still cuddling that way when Pepper re-emerged.

"Are my lovelies taking care of each other?" she asked.

"Yeees," Tony responded in a singsong voice.

Pepper slid onto the bed and spooned up to Darcy's back. "Is this okay?" she asked her. "May I touch you?"

"Mmm, yes," said Darcy. She was feeling warm and safe, again.

Pepper's hand slid up to cup her breast. "I'm just sorry I didn't get to suck anything off these," she said, squeezing a little to give the pronoun a referent.

"Well you still could, Ma'am," said Darcy.

"Oh yeah. Plenty more mousse," Tony chimed in. "I'd eat breakfast off your tits every day if it wouldn't distract me from getting anything else done," he informed Darcy.

She giggled. "Might get weird, depending on what you were having."

"Yeah. Easier with donuts or yogurt than, like, waffles," he agreed.

"Pancakes might work," said Pepper. "Like...pancake pasties with butter areolas..."

"Or eggs with yolk areolas," said Darcy.

She and Pepper were both snickering now. Tony rolled off the bed with a groan and walked over to bring the bowls back to bed.

"Lay back," said Tony to Darcy. She smiled and stretched, obeying. He took the spoon and smeared chocolate all over her left breast, several spoonsful and handed the bowl to Pepper who did Darcy's right. Tony added dollops of whipped cream in the center of each and Pepper jumped up and returned with two perfect cherries, planting one in the center of each impromptu sundae.

"Fucking fuck. I look like I'm in a Katy Perry video," said Darcy.

Pepper snorted. Tony looked a little blankly at both of them. "I'll show you later," Pepper assured him.

"Don't let it melt!" said Darcy.

Pepper began lapping at the mousse on her side. Tony grinned and leaned in to pick up his cherry by the stem with his teeth. He leaned in, still holding it and dangled it over Darcy's mouth. She opened her lips to receive it. He didn't let the stem go, sucked it into his mouth and tied it into a knot.

Darcy laughed. "Why do you know how to do that?"

He grinned, "used to try all kinds of shit to get dates in college." He moved down to slurp the whipped cream off her.

"Huh. The things you learn about the rich and famous," she said.

The two were quiet, eating mousse off her. She relaxed and closed her eyes, sinking into the sensation of the cool dessert and the warm tongues. They kept it up till long after any trace of chocolate still remained, she was sure, finishing off with a minute or so of their very different mouths sucking and biting at her nipples.

Now she was starting to get turned on again, but it felt all of a piece with the warm, safe and privileged feelings she'd been getting all night. It was strange. She felt like she'd punched through the electric excitement of her situation and some of the discomfort to emerge into a new normal. Darcy wondered if that feeling would stick with her. She hoped it would.

Eventually Pepper pulled her mouth off Darcy's breast with one more parting bite. She kissed Darcy as Tony did the same, then he kissed her.

"We'd love to keep you all night, but work comes early for me in the morning, "said Pepper. Tony, will you call Tasha to let her know we're done?"


	5. Day 3: Rest

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Darcy's day winds down and she hopes for a good night's sleep.

Darcy felt a little forlorn at getting kicked out, but she sighed and got up and looked around for her clothes. When she picked up her dress, Pepper stopped her. "Oh! leave that. Might as well get out of your stockings, too. I'm gonna have everything cleaned."

"Okay," Darcy responded. She assumed she was going nude, but Pepper handed her a kind of shapeless clay-red thing to put on that turned out to be somewhere between a dress and a nightgown when she did.

"I have one of those for when I don't feel like dressing," she said to Darcy, conspiratorially. "I thought you might like one too."

"Thank you!" said Darcy, feeling a little overwhelmed, now by waves of conflicting emotions. Presents were nice. People thinking of her was nice. It was nice to get fucked by beautiful people and nice to be spoiled by billionaires. Why was she feeling so fragile?

Tony, wrapped in a paisley bathrobe, came back in from another room and handed Darcy a large bag. "Your jewelry box and some leftovers," he said.

"Oh, sweet. Thank you," she said to him. "And thank you again for my bracelet, Ma'am," she said, holding up her right wrist.

"You don't have to wear it all the time, but it does suit you."

Darcy smiled, feeling warmth bloom inside her again. She stared at it's dull gleam as Tony escorted her back to the front room. As though on cue, the elevator dinged and Natasha came out of it.

"She's going to walk you home," said Tony. "Thanks for coming over."

"Thanks for having me," said Darcy. She waggled her eyebrows ridiculously to highlight the meager double entendre.

Tony snorted at her. "Get some sleep, cupcake."

"Likewise, bossman," she said. They hugged and Natasha took her arm and led her back into the elevator. She leaned against Natasha.

"How are you, myshka?" Natasha asked.

Darcy sighed and shrugged and leaned a little closer. "Weird," she admitted.

"I am told you've not been getting very good sleep."

"Yeah. I guess that can't help." The elevator let them off on Darcy's floor and they strolled past the other apartments.

"If it gets to bad, you let me or Maria know, mouse, and we'll find a way to help."

"Thank you," said Darcy. Suddenly she felt like crying.

Natasha stiffened. "Are you sure you're all right? Are you hurt anywhere?"

Darcy shook her head.

"No to which?"

"I'm not hurt. I'm...today felt kind of roller-coaster-y. I don't know. I'm not handling this very well, I guess. It's really probably just...I'm tired."

Natasha gave her a hard stare and nodded. "All right. Well, go in and head straight to bed."

"I haven't written my journal entry for Sam yet, though."

"I will explain it to him," said Natasha firmly.

"All right," Darcy sighed. They were at her door. "Thank you Ma'am. May I have a hug?"

Natasha drew her into her arms and hugged her firmly.

"You call me any time you need. Or talk to Jarvis. He'll know which of us is awake."

"Okay," she said. "Thank you."

She went in and flumphed onto the sofa. She lay there for a few seconds groaning before she remembered there were leftovers and got up to put them away.

Darcy sat on the sofa with her bare feet up and pulled her throw around herself.

She pulled the jewelry box out of the bag and ran her fingers over the top, before opening all the perfect little drawers again. In the bottom one was a slim box that had definitely not been there earlier in the evening. She opened it up to find another charm for her bracelet and a note scrawled on the inside of the lid.

"Thanks for being good for us, sweet thing. - T" She picked up the charm and flipped it over. It was a cupcake enameled in iron man colors, red wrapper, gold icing and a red cherry on top. She giggled and took the bracelet off, carefully adding the new charm, then laid it in the box with care.

Darcy heaved herself up, rinsed off in the shower and then laid down in bed, cuddling her stuffed duck. In spite of the length of the day, sleep took its sweet time in coming. She felt as though she laid in the darkness for ages before she finally drifted off.


End file.
